The document discusses the spatial distribution of tourist attractions in Rotorua, New Zealand. It notes that many attractions cluster together for mutual benefit, taking advantage of shared facilities. Many attractions are located in the city center for ease of access by tourists arriving via various transportation methods. Some attractions are more dispersed due to being fixed natural features or requiring more space. Some attractions locate along main roads for visibility and accessibility.

1. Tourism in Rotorua
Why do people visit Rotorua and where do they come from?
What are the main attraction and where are they located?
Why are they located in these areas?
Spatial Variation – Where things are located and why.
Aim –
To describe the
spatial variation of
phenomena in
Rotorua.

4. The Spatial Distribution of Attractions in Rotorua!
 Why are the
attractions
located in
certain areas
and not others?
 It all about Time
and Space!

5. You have 6 minutes to answer these questions.
1. Why do some attractions cluster
together at one location? What are
the advantages?
2. Why are there loads of attractions
in the centre of Rotorua?
3. Why are some attractions more
dispersed?
4. Why do some attractions locate
along main roads?

6. Why do some attractions cluster together at one
location? What are the advantages?
 Tourists will
hopefully visit both
attractions.
 Share facilities and
infrastructure.
 Offer combined
ticket offers and
incentives.
 Easy for tourists to
get to both
attractions.

7. Why are there loads of attractions in the centre
of Rotorua?
 Easy for tourists to get to –
lots of transport links (railway,
main roads, taxis, bus routes).
 Share existing facilities and
infrastructure. (banks, ATMs,
parking facilities, cafes,
restaurants, i-sites)
 Hopefully get tourists to
spend money with their
business even though they
initially came to visit another
attraction.

8. Why are some attractions more dispersed?
 Fixed attractions – which can’t be
moved!
 Based on natural features.
 May need the space which means
that can’t be located near the CBD.

9. Why do some attractions locate along main
roads?
 Easy to get to by car or
public transport.
 Easy to drive past and
compare prices.
 If you are hotel/motel its
then easy for people to
visit other attractions
whilst staying there.

12. Attractions
Natural Cultural
Which are fixed and which are footloose?

13. http://www.rotoruanz.com/experiences/map.php
 So where are these located and why?

14. Tasks
 1. Describe the location of the attractions in Rotorua.
 Are the attractions clustered, linear, dispersed or located along a particular route?
 Are different attraction located in certain areas? Are all the restaurants grouped together?
 Why are the attractions located in these areas? Accessibility/Comparison/Fixed
2. Draw a sketch map showing the spatial variation of attractions.
3. Explain how tourists travel to Rotorua. Is the area easily accessible? If so why?
Geographers study spaces and the patterns of phenomena in those spaces.
A space is an area
Phenomena are simply things which can be observed in space.
All phenomena in a space can be described in terms of patterns
Patterns of phenomena are the result of processes.